Mary Kay, Resources & Brunch

Well. After 2 solid days without Internet I have some catching up to do. So let's get to it.

Mary Kay
I spent my evening (7 hours of it!) at a Mary Kay party on Saturday night. Among making new friends and ensuring my boyfriend that I was still alive and not tied up in a closet somewhere, I learned a great wedding tip! If you don't already have someone lined up to do your wedding day make-up, set up an appointment with a Mary Kay consultant! It's a very affordable solution. Most times they will do your wedding make-up if you host a party or something along those lines. Now I know not everyone likes Mary Kay make-up, so you might not utilize this option. I however, am 1 day in to loving the skin care products and mineral powder that I purchased :)

Use Your Resources Wisely
As a former, and current, Girl Scout; I know this "rule" well. Think about all of the people in your life. I bet somewhere in there you have a hair stylist, a DJ, or a photographer. If these friends are willing to provide their services, you will most likely get them at a low cost or no cost at all. If it's a close friend that you don't want to be working during your day, they will probably known some people in their industry. Think outside of the box. Know a graphic designer? Maybe they will design your wedding invitations as your gift. If you are on a tight budget, it's a good idea to look at your circle of friends/ acquaintances.

Wedding Brunch
Another money saving tip- think outside of the box when it comes to the time of day. If you are willing to be flexible, chances are you will save a lot more money than the bride that's stuck on a Saturday evening (however, that's not a bad thing either!). Consider a brunch. You can still have a gorgeous wedding, without all of the expense. Think mimosas and a light color palette. Another benefit to an early wedding, leaving earlier for the honeymoon! I mean after all, isn't that what we are all looking forward to?!

Steal a Kiss Before the Wedding

OK, so I came across this on Pintrest (yes, still addicted) today and decided I had to share it with you!

Some of you might remember my post on first look pictures....
(http://noloweddingsevents.blogspot.com/2012/01/tip-28-first-look-pictures.html)

Now I know not everyone is into first look pictures because of the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride until she walks down the isle. But, as I mentioned in my previous post, they can be a benefit for anxious/ nervous brides and grooms. Well, there is a happy medium.. stealing a kiss!

As opposed to actually seeing each other, you could calm some nerves by having the groom blindfolded and still be able to have a private moment and steal a kiss before the ceremony.

For those of you that are not worried about the tradition, doing this could still make for some extremely cute pictures. Think about it!

Fun Hors d'Oeuvres at the End of the Night

There are many reasons that serving pre-exit hors d'oeuvres is a good idea.

1. Guests are hungry after a night of dancing. When your guests have been dancing, giving toasts, catching wedding items, taking pictures and congratulating you for 3-4 hours after dinner, they are going to get hungry again. Even just sitting at home watching TV, I know I get hungry again 3 or 4 hours after dinner!

2. If you have alcohol available, it will help sober guests up. If you provide your guests with something other than a non-alcoholic bar, chances are someone is not exactly going to be totally sober when they drive home. Providing your guests with end of the night hors d'oeuvres can help with that a little bit by putting some food in their stomachs. (Although, a little extra food is obviously not going to be a solution for guests that have gone overboard, so please have other options for potentially intoxicated guests.)

3. They provide an extra hint of fun to top off an exceptional night! I mean, let's be honest, mini anything is super cute! Mini hamburgers, mini crab cakes, mini tacos. And the best part is that they can really fit into any wedding style. It's all about how you serve them. You can dress them up for a more traditional, glamorous wedding, or present them on antique platters for a classic wedding. Either way, your guests will appreciate the extra effort and good food!

Now what do I mean by "fun" hors d'oeuvres? I simply mean butler-passed food that your guests recognize and love. One of my absolute favorites is breakfast hors d'oeuvres being served when an event ends midnight or later. Mini pop tarts, mini egg sandwiches and tiny muffins are a sweet touch when guests have stayed up late.

Not having a late night event? Then stick to the mini hamburgers, crab cakes or gyros. Whatever you choose, they are sure to be a hit!

Browse Etsy

I'm sure most of you know what Esty is; an online store where you can purchase antique and handmade items. It's also a great resource for wedding ideas since it's not one specific brand. You can type in something like "wedding favors" and get a completely diverse selection of favors as opposed to going to a company's website and being restricted to just what that company offers. Etsy is also great because (if you decide to make a purchase) you can generally get the items customized to exactly what you want- a benefit of purchasing handmade items.

While some things are more expensive since they are handmade, there are also great finds that will cost you the same as purchasing them through a retailer. But your items and wedding will be much more unique!

Green Invitations & More

Whether you are trying to have a green wedding or not, botanical invitations are still a creative way to invite your guests to your affair. If you are going green, it's a two-in-one! The entire invitation can be planted to result in beautiful wildflowers and also serves as a great presentation.

Not only can you order seed paper invitations, but there are also companies that offer menu cards, confetti and favors! Recycling is great, but why not be able to plant your paper products!

One company I have used, and was very pleased with, is Botanical Paperworks. Check out their website here! They have an entire wedding section.

Opt for Classic Cars

As a chic alternative to the standard limo exit, opt for a classic car. I love them. You can find the perfect car for any venue type, whereas a limo doesn't quite fit in everywhere.

Getting married at a farm? 1948 Ford F-1 Pickup
A vineyard? 1952 Rolls Royce
Near a beach? 1931 Pontiac 5
On a gorgeous warm day? 1950 Porsche 356 Coupe

Groupon and Living Social

Groupon and Living Social. Sign up for them or download the apps and check the sites frequently. Although neither are geared specifically towards weddings, they both have wedding specials pop up. Today for example, there is a deal on a photo booth rental! And if you get creative, you can even use some of the other deals for wedding related things. You could do fortune cookies for your favors and use the fortune cookie deal (which I've seen twice now), or purchase any one of the spa deals (there is always one or two) for your pampering the day before the wedding.

Regardless of how you use it, or if you decide to purchase anything at all, it's a great resource!

Consider Long Tables

Whether or not long tables will work really depends on the space that you have to work with. If you have a large enough space, definitely consider long tables. They can really transform a room into something completely different than what circles tables will do. Depending on your guest list, rectangle tables may even give you more flexibility with your seating chart because you can typically seat more people at them.

Gorgeous Rectangle Tablescape from a January Wedding

Entertain Children at the Wedding

Just a quick thought.

If you are going to have children attending your wedding, you might as well make sure they have just as good of a time as the adults do. A great way to do so is to have a "kid's table"! Fill it with coloring books and disposable cameras instead of the typical glassware and favor boxes. You can also include them in activities by coming up with a kid friendly option. One idea is to give them a plastic champagne flute filled with milk and a cookie on top for the champagne toast.

Whatever ideas you come up with, the children will love feeling included. I can specifically remember attending my grandparent's 50th Anniversary party when I was about 10, and feeling on top of the world because we were given disposable cameras and a gingerbread house at our table!

Marriage Advice Cards

Something fun to incorporate at your wedding are wedding advice cards. Give your guests a fun activity by asking them to fill out the advice card at their place setting and put it into a designated box before they leave. Everyone gets to share their advice for the happy couple and you have something fun to read later! You could even save the box of advice cards to read at a later date (like your first or tenth anniversary)!

A fun twist on the advice card: Advice Mad-Libs. Many (like the one below) can be found on Etsy!

 

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